Another Day
by rainy angellz
Summary: While dealing with a case, Elliot ponders over his divorce, his life and what possesses people to do what they do.


**Title:** Another Day   
** Author**: Averie   
** Rating: **PG-13  
** Summary:** While dealing with a case, Elliot ponders over his divorce, his life and what possesses people to do what they do.  
** Author Notes**: Elliot's divorce is final (since we never see if it ever is, let's assume it is), and this story is kinda personal for myself.. ah writing is a good outlet for emotions. :)  
** Disclaimer:** I don't own the Law and Order franchise or any of it's characters used in this story. No infringement intended.

---------------

Elliot Stabler's Residence  
275 23rd Street   
Manhattan   
November 12   
7:17AM

Elliot rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. Dressed in a white tank top, and navy blue shorts, he was wrapped up in his comforter from tossing and turning the entire night.

Sleep never came easy for Elliot Stabler, but more recently the amount of sleep that came to him was less than it had ever been. Despite being a police officer for nearly 20 years, Elliot thought he'd seen everything until his wife left him. The day Kathy left was the day that part of his heart died and that was a feeling that he'd never experienced. Throwing himself into work, closing off the world, and even drinking couldn't help the feeling of loss that Elliot felt. He wanted to talk to someone. He needed someone to talk to. He couldn't talk to Olivia. He felt that she was part of the problem. He honestly felt that she had something to do with the failure of his marriage. His marriage of twenty years to a woman who had been there for him and raised his children. He would never forget that, but Olivia was something else.

Olivia had been his partner of eight years. Over the years Elliot felt as if Olivia was someone he could talk to about the job. Somewhere during those eight years Elliot began talking to Olivia about himself, his life, and his problems. Maybe he'd let Olivia get in the way of his marriage, but Kathy's reason for leaving was that she'd gotten tired of him being angry.

At 7:30AM, the alarm went off. Elliot gave up trying to sleep and rolled out of bed, turning the alarm clock off before standing up. He walked to the bathroom to get ready for court that day.

Dressed in black slacks, a blue button down shirt and a silk tie that his kids had given him for his last birthday, he walked out of his Chelsea apartment. As he got into the car and turned it on and sighed. Another day.

---------------

Chinatown  
145 Canal Street   
November 12   
11:37AM

Elliot got the message from Olivia in his voicemail to meet her in Chinatown. Lucky for Elliot the courthouses and Chinatown weren't too far off.

Elliot surveyed the scene before him. A small apartment in the heart of Chinatown. Blood splattered on the floor. A man's body laid face down on the carpet. Day in and day out it was the same thing. A victim of a crime; Elliot's participation in solving that crime and seeking justice for those who couldn't. Elliot glanced around looking for his partner.

"What've we got?" Detective Elliot Stabler asked Medical Examiner Melinda Warner as his partner joined them next to the victim.

"Asian Male, late forties, early fifties, no ID on the body. Slashed multiple times in the genital region, and then stabbed through the chest," Warner said, "I'll know more about cause of death after the autopsy."

Elliot and Olivia pilfered throughout the apartment looking for materials that may lead them to the identity of their deceased victim.

Olivia opened the drawer of the nightstand and pulled out and bagged an address book and several bottles of pills.

"Elliot, check this out," Olivia said, "Says his name is Aaron Leung. Address on the bottle is in Queens."

--------------

Flushing, Queens   
129-07 57 Drive   
12:46PM

Elliot and Olivia approached the small house and rang the doorbell. When the door opened, a small Asian girl who could not have looked older than eight answered the door.

"Hi is your mommy home?" Olivia asked with a smile.

The girl nodded and ran down the hallway. A few moments later, an older Asian woman slowly walked down the hall towards the detectives. The woman looked frail, thin and sickly.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked with a shaky voice.

"Detectives Benson and Stabler," Elliot stated, "Do you know an Aaron Leung?"

"Yes, he is my husband." Mrs. Leung said, allowing the Detectives into the living room, "Did something happen to him?"

"He was found this morning in an apartment in Chinatown." Olivia said, "He was murdered, I'm sorry."

"How? By whom?" she asked solemnly.

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Elliot said, "Do you know anyone who may have a grudge against him? A co-worker, a friend?"

"I don't know who he keeps company with nowadays. We're separated." Mrs. Leung said.

"For how long?" Olivia asked.

"About six months," Mrs. Leung said, "He was cheating on me with different women. He kept odd hours. Told me he was playing cards with his friends. Came home late. I had my suspicions at the time, and he just outright lied to me about it. The guilt ate him alive for the last ten years that he had to come clean. Two weeks later, I threw him out."

"Where were you last night?" Elliot asked.

"I was home. I've been very sick lately," Mrs. Leung said, "I have cancer and chemotherepy has been very trying on my body."

Elliot and Olivia thanked Mrs. Leung for her time and a promise that they'd contact her with information regarding her husband's death when it became available.

"Can you believe that?" Olivia asked, "Ten years of cheating on your wife, and then he feels guilty? And now he's dead."

"Sounds like a motive to me." Elliot said, "All I can say is that if Kathy had cheated on me for ten years, I'd be pretty damn upset."

Kathy. The name echoed in Elliot's head. For a moment, he felt as if he were still married, still living the life he'd led for twenty years with the woman who bore him four children. A recent divorcee fondly remembered his wife as a hard working woman who he believed remained faithful to him all those years. She'd become fed up with him over his anger and served him with divorce papers. The divorce had ruined his life. His kids, his lifestyle - all he'd known the last twenty years was gone with the flick of a pen.

---------------

Special Victims Squad Room   
1:50PM

"What've we got on the wife?" Olivia asked.

"Doris Leung, age 40. Born in China, migrated here to the United States in 1980 when she got married to our vic in 1985. Lived in Brooklyn prior to the marriage, moved to Queens about fifteen years ago. They've got three kids, aged 18, 16, and 8." Fin said, "Works as an administrative assistant for a real estate firm in Long Island City."

"Your victim, Aaron Leung was a member of the Auxilary Police Unit with the Fifth." Munch said, "he's got a bunch of commendations for September 11, community service. Expert marksman. Talked to the Auxilary coordinator, Captain Keller, says Leung was always there when he needed him, always volunteered for community affairs, patrolled once a week, twice if they really needed him."

"He works Auxilary," Cragen began, "What's he do when he's not on patrol?"

"Keller says he works out in a warehouse in Sunset Park," Munch says, "He does production management, import/exports."

"Wonderful," Cragen said, "Benson, Stabler, you guys check out Sunset Park. Munch, Fin, go sit on the ME's office. Find out what happened to him."

---------------

Sunset Park, Brooklyn  
216 39 Avenue   
3:30PM

"Excuse me, do you know Aaron Leung?" Elliot asked a petite Asian woman who appeared to be running the warehouse.

"Yes, I do." she said, "I'm Alice Lam, the manager. What can I do for you?"

"I'm Detective Stabler, this is Detective Benson. We're investigating the murder of Aaron Leung" Elliot said, "What can you tell me about Mr. Leung?"

"He was a hard working man who loved his family. He did everything to support them," Alice said, "He loved his kids, he loved working for the Auxilary Police, he loved being a friend to everyone."

"Did you know his wife?" Olivia asked.

"Yes," Alice said, "She was lovely. Rarely saw her around here though. She was always taking care of the kids."

"And the kids, how did they appear?" Elliot asked.

"Always looked like they were well taken care of whenever I saw them. That was only around holidays and the occasional late night visit when they had me over for dinner." Alice said, "It's really a shame. This place will probably go to shambles without him."

"And what was his job exactly?" Olivia asked.

"He owned this factory. We basically produce products that our clients want. We use factories in foreign countries such as China and El Salvador, so he's constantly away on business in those areas." Alice said.

"We'll need a list of clients, anyone that Mr. Leung had contact with often." Olivia said, "Did he have any enemies that you knew about?"

Alice turned to the computer and printed out a client list for the detectives.

"No, he was always well liked." Alice said, handing Olivia the client list.

"Thank you." Elliot said as he and Olivia left the warehouse.

"Nothing adds up. The man was well-liked, no enemies, an upstanding member of the community. It just doesn't make sense." Olivia said.

"The wife looks good for it." Elliot said.

---------------

Medical Examiners Office  
4:45PM

"Aaron Leung was stabbed to death after being beaten in the face, chest and abdomen," Warner said, "the slashes around the genital region were made post-mortem. I'd put time of death between 8 and 10AM. I ran some preliminary blood tests. He had high blood pressure, high cholestrol. One of the pills found on the scene was for high blood pressure, another for high cholestrol. The last one was for treating chlamydia."

"Our vic had chlamydia?" Fin asked, "Explains why the wife separated. Husband's cheating, gives her chlamydia."

"And I thought I had serious marriage problems," Munch said, "Times five."

"From the looks of it the stabbing was done with a sharp knife. Possibly a switchblade or swiss army knife," Warner said.

"Hard to believe that a man of his strength was overpowered by a small knife," Munch said, "Maybe we have more than one perp on our hands."

"I don't think so," Warner said, "It was the same weapon used for each stabbing. You find that murder weapon, you've found your perp."

--------------

Special Victims Squad Room   
November 13  
9:17AM

"So odds are, this is person is seeking revenge against Aaron Leung. The slashing of his genital region suggests that he's violated someone sexually." Dr. George Huang stated, "I wouldn't say it's the wife though. She's not strong enough to overpower a strong man."

"So what are we left with?" Olivia said, "The man has no enemies. No criminal record. Nothing."

"What about the women that he had affairs with over the last ten years?" Munch asked, "Maybe one of them wanted him to leave his wife, wouldn't, and then slashed him up because she felt used."

"Let's not leave any stone unturned; Olivia, Elliot, check out the kids; Munch, Fin, check out the girlfriends."

------------

Leung Residence   
Flushing, Queens   
10:02AM

"What a way to live," Elliot said as he and Olivia exited the car, "leading multiple lives. Multiple girlfriends over the course of ten years. Deceiving the mother of your children. How could anyone live with themselves?"

"Not everyone's a saint, Elliot," Olivia said, "And the people who get hurt the most are the kids and innocent wife who didn't know. How much you want to bet that all his girlfriends knew he was married?"

"Even so," Elliot said as he rang the doorbell, "what ever happened to morals?"

"Morals are gone as soon as the guilty feeling goes away." Olivia said.

The door opened and a teenage girl who looked about 18 greeted them.

"Can I help you?" she asked, "Who are you looking for?"

"I'm Detective Benson, this is Detective Stabler," Olivia said, "we're investigating a murder."

"My father's murder?" she asked.

"Yes," Elliot said, "What's your name?"

"I'm Sally Leung," she said, "what have you discovered about my father's murder?"

"Nothing new," Olivia said, "but we wanted to ask you and your siblings a few questions about your dad to help us."

"Okay," Sally said, letting them into her home, "my mother isn't here. She's at the store with my little sister."

"That's fine, we can talk first." Elliot said, "What was a normal day like for your father?"

"He's usually out before I even wake up, and then home after I'm asleep," Sally said, "I went to work with him a few times when I spent my summers doing nothing. Everyday was different for him. He drove into Manhattan everyday, making deliveries, drop offs and pick ups and then head to his office in Brooklyn. Business closes around 5, and sometimes he'd stay at the office and play mah jong in the conference room with his buddies."

"So you weren't close with your father?" Olivia asked.

"We were close when I was younger. Now - well recently, he calls me to help him run his errands, fix the house and fix the car. Have breakfast every Sunday," Sally said, "I kinda missed those days."

"Did you know about your father's affairs?" Elliot said cautiously.

"Yes," Sally said, "he told me about them when I was fourteen."

"Did your siblings know?"

"Yeah, but not until this past year. I've carried the burden of keeping it from my mother for four years."

"That must've been hard on you." Olivia said.

Sally nodded, "Let me get you my brother."

------------------

Special Victims Squad Room   
11:49PM

Elliot, Olivia, Fin, Cragen and Huang stood around the evidence board discussing the case. Munch was on the phone with someone at his desk taking notes from the caller.

"Brother didn't give us anything, he's a sixteen year old boy who's got a grudge against the world," Elliot said, "Teenage rebellion at it's best."

"What about the older sister?" Cragen asked as they stood there staring at the board.

"I got the feeling there was something she wasn't telling us," Olivia said, "parents are supposed to good people, who do no wrong to their children. This guy told her when she was fourteen he was having an affair, and she was protecting her father. Maybe she was just fed up with him."

"Children generally want to protect one parent against another," Dr. Huang said, "fourteen is an age for teenage adolescent development. It's a time where their mind develops and will determine whether or not their relationship with their parents will be strong or weak after their teenage years."

"Her and her father seemed close. Maybe he told her other things other than his multiple affairs," Elliot said, "It's a lot for a kid to take on. He just wanted to be honest with his oldest kid."

"So what if," Fin began, "she kept this secret for so long, but when her parents separated, she decided to seek revenge? After separation she has no reason to keep it secret anymore. He put an unwanted burden on her shoulders."

Munch got off the phone and turned to his colleagues.

"That was CSU, they've got something they want you guys two see." Munch said gesturng towards Elliot and Olivia.

-------------------

Crime Lab 12:13PM

"We found a blood on the floor of the apartment that wasn't our vics," the forensic tech O'Halloran said, "I sent it to Warner, and she sent it back with this."

O'Halloran put two DNA strands up on the lit backboard, and showed the detectives, "See, the blood we found at the apartment matches was mixed with the victim's. I managed to find the second blood mixed in. One strand of matches the victim's, and the other is unknown."

"The second bloodtype is a blood relative of our vic's." Elliot said.

"Yes, and I'd say a close relative. A brother, sister, or child." O'Halloran said.

-------------------

"Aaron Leung had a brother and two sisters in addition to his three kids," Elliot said, "We can rule the wife out."

"Older brother, Zheng Leung lives in Florida with his third wife. He's got two other kids with two other women. One of the kids lives in New York, the other in Florida." Olivia said, "Guy got around."

"Older sister, Lee Leung died three years ago of lung cancer. She was survived by a husband and two kids who now live in Vancouver." Fin said, "And younger sister, Elayne Leung lives in Yonkers with her husband and four kids. Says she was at work until noon. Boss confirms it."

"So now we're left with the kids," Elliot said, "Let's catch lunch in Queens, Liv."

-------------------

ChouZhou's Chinese Restaurant   
Main Street, Queens   
1:36PM

Elliot and Olivia sat down to lunch where they both ordered wonton soup and noodles. Elliot sat there twirling his finger around his bowl and glass with a somber look on his face. Olivia just stared at Elliot and his depressing mood.

"Elliot, are you okay?" Olivia asked in an understanding tone, "You've been really depressing to work with lately."

"Kathy left me, I'm alone again," Elliot said, "I haven't been alone in twenty years."

"Welcome to my side of the relationship world," Olivia said with a slight smile, "It's not as bad as you think."

"I don't even know how to date anymore," Elliot said, "What's a good pick up line nowadays? Preferably one that works."

"Elliot, I'm sure you're not that out of touch with women," Olivia said, "You've worked with me for eight years, haven't you learned what a woman likes, and what ticks her off?"

"I'd hardly call that flirting," Elliot said, "I need tips on flirting Liv, not on what women want. I've already failed one woman because I was too blind to see what she wanted."

"I wouldn't say you failed," Olivia said, "You were a husband for twenty years, you supported your family, you raised four great kids. You might need help in flirting tips, but I don't think I'd be a good person to ask about that. I'm not a guy."

"I never thought you were, Liv," Elliot said, "You've just got more experience in the dating scene than I do."

"Yeah, but when have any of those relationships worked out?" Olivia said, "Usually the guy couldn't get out fast enough once they find out I'm a cop."

"Well maybe you should look for a cop," Elliot said with a wink, "They know the job, they know the hours, they know the stress. What about Goren over in Major Case Squad? He seems like a nice fella."

"Nice if you mean creepy," Olivia said, "He's a little extreme for my taste."

"What exactly is your taste?" Elliot said, leaning in closer looking for an answer.

"I don't know," Olivia said, "When I find the guy who stays, I'll tell you."

Their food arrived, and they ate in silence. They paid the bill and drive to the local high school to interview the children of Aaron Leung.

-------------------

John Bowne High School   
Flushing, Queens   
2:30PM

Elliot and Olivia walked through the doors of the school to the security desk.

"Detecives Benson and Stabler," Olivia says showing the Safety Officer their badges, "We're looking for a student named Leslie Leung."

The officer and an assistant principal retrieved Leslie from her class, and led them to an empty room in which the detectives could interview her.

"You're here about my father's murder," Leslie said, "What can I do for you detectives? Can we try to make this quick, I've got to get back to band practice."

"Were you particularly close with your father?" Elliot asked.

"We were close," Leslie said, "But not as close Sally and dad. They were like two peas on a pod. Worked on their cars, cleaned the garage and built things together. Sometimes I envied her, but I'm glad now that I didn't have to deal with what she had to go through."

"Why's that?"

"Because she carried so much on her," Leslie said, "Dad always told her all his secrets, took her to meet his girlfriends, and took her money."

"Why did he need to take her money?" Elliot asked.

"He was in debt," Leslie said, "He spent money frivolously, was in severe debt with the collection agencies. He borrowed money from her to keep up with his lifestyle. That included his girlfriends."

"Did you ever meet any of his girlfriends?" Olivia asked.

"No, Sally's the only one who ever met them," Leslie said.

"Where were you yesterday morning?" Elliot asked.

"I was in school," Leslie said, "Are we done here? I'm president of the school, and I've got a meeting in the conference room in about five minutes."

Elliot nodded, "We'll be in touch with you if we need anymore. If you have anymore information you can provide us, don't hesitate to give me a call." Elliot handed her his card, and allowed her to leave.

Elliot turned to Olivia and raised his eyebrow.

"Sounds like Sally was taken advantage of by her own father." Elliot said, "Let's check Leslie's alibi."

They went into the school office and found that Leslie had been in school the entire day and then some. She left the school at 7:30PM the day of her father's murder.

"What an overachiever," Olivia said, "Wish I was like her in high school."

"Looks like Sally's moving on up on the suspect list." Elliot said, "Let's see if she was in class that day."

---------------------

CUNY Queens College   
4:08PM

Elliot and Olivia walked onto the quad of the university walking towards Powdermaker Hall. Elliot sighed.

"Bring back any old memories?" Olivia asked.

"Not really," Elliot said, "I just remember this place having a lot more concrete than grass. Great view from the fountains though."

"Looks like you're taking a trip down memory lane," Olivia said, "It is a beautiful campus."

"The trip down memory lane isn't as pretty as I wish though," Elliot said, "You try going to school at night while working construction during the day to support your pregnant wife. It wasn't exactly a picnic."

"You wouldn't give those days up for anything though," Olivia said, "You had great kids."

"You're right, I wouldn't," Elliot said, "This school was made for people who couldn't go away. Everyone was more or less on the same boat as me. I fit in here."

"Better than when I went to college," Olivia said, "I don't think I fit in anywhere."

They entered Powdermaker Hall and walked towards the History department and looked for Sally's professor, Randall Wilkens. The attractive professor looked to be about thirty years old with light brown hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Was Sally Leung in class yesterday?" Elliot asked the young professor.

"She showed up late, around 8:45AM I suppose," Professor Wilkens said, "Is she in any trouble?"

"You always notice how late students come into class?" Olivia asked.

"No, but she's a special kind of student." Wilkens said.

"How is she as a student?" Olivia asked.

"She's wonderful," Professor Wilkens said, "She always participates, always answers questions, always writes prolific papers. She works hard. As she should."

"What do you mean by that?" Elliot asked.

"She's a triple major in history, political science, and criminal justice with a minor in urban studies," Wilkens said, "And she would still graduate a semester early."

"So she was a prodigy," Olivia said, "How close were you to her?"

"I was her mentor," Wilkens said, "We worked close together on editing her papers and I was trying to help her get an internship with the city council."

"Did you ever interact with her outside of her schoolwork?" Elliot asked.

"I'd be lying if I said no," Wilkens said, "We sometimes worked late on her papers in my apartment in Bayside."

"So you were intimate." Olivia said.

Wilkens hesitated. "I know it's against ethics, but she was so mature and loving."

"Did she ever talk to you about her father?" Elliot asked.

"She always talks her father. She loves him," Wilkens said, "She was so upset when she found out he'd been murdered."

"Did you ever meet him?" Olivia asked.

"No," Wilkens said, "Sally preferred if we kept our relationship a secret, as did I to remain discreet. You have to know though that I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but we both knew that we had to keep it under wraps to save my career and her future. I hope you will keep what I've told you in confidence."

"Of course Professor Wilkens."

------------------------

"An eighteen year old dating a thirty year old professor?" Elliot said, "A little sketchy."

"Anything can happen nowadays, El," Olivia said, "I dated one of my mom's students when I was in high school."

"I don't know what I'd do if I found out Maureen were dating her professor," Elliot said, "I'd probably freak because she's just a little girl."

"She's not a little girl anymore, El," Olivia said, "She's a woman now, with hormones. She's growing up. Get over it and accept it."

"I can accept that she's a older," Elliot said, "A woman.. with hormones will take a little longer."

------------------------

Elliot Stabler's Residence   
275 23RD Street   
4:31AM

Elliot could hear the garbage trucks driving on the street, loading their trucks with various forms of garbage, solid, liquid and semi-liquids. He could hear the truck smash and compact the pieces of garbage. Sleep wasn't coming easy for Elliot. After falling asleep at around eleven the night before, Elliot had awaken at four to the noises down on the street. He'd never lived in the Manhattan before. Living in Glen Oaks, Queens for the better part of twenty years was always a treat. Except for the hour commute every morning, but the peaceful sleep was well worth it. He thought about it. Glen Oaks was a wonderful neighborhood for his family to have grown up in. The divorce had left Kathy and the kids the house, and Elliot had moved to Chelsea where he found a loft at a decent price for two bedrooms. His kids could stay whenever they wanted to either in the spare bedroom or the futon in the living room.

While staring at the ceiling, his mind began to wander to other topics about his life. His years in Special Victims, his partners over the years, the changes to the city. Olivia had been his partner for eight years, longer than anyone else, and he was closer to her than to his own wife. He spent more time with her than anyone else over the past eight years, and whether or not that had interferred with his marriage, he'll never know. He always found Olivia to be attractive, beautiful even; any man with a pulse thought the same. The thought that Olivia had been single for the better part of their partnership with no long term relationships in sight.

Elliot smiled a little. The thought of Olivia not being involved with anyone made him curious. He knew the way the job worked. Elliot was surprised her relationship with U.S. Marshal Andy Eckerson hadn't worked out. He'd known what the job was like, he understood the job.

'Is she waiting for me?' Elliot thought to himself, 'I am single now, but we're partners.'

Elliot laughed to himself as he dismissed the idea of him and Olivia. He rolled onto his side and grabbed his pillow to continue his futile attempt to fall into a peaceful slumber.

-  
Special Victims Squad Room   
November 14   
9:23AM

"Our main suspect if Sally Leung," Elliot said, "She had the motive, no alibi."

"So our suspect loves her father but hates him for making her feel guilty." Olivia said.

"Or dad finds out about her relationship to a white man and flips out on her." Fin said.

"A racial conflict?" Elliot asks.

"Asian adults born outside of the United States are generally traditional," Dr. Huang said, "They want their children to succeed in school, hence Sally's triple major and minor. They also want their children to know their culture and values. They also want their children to marry those within their race."

"Let's not go on theory; bring her in." Cragen said.

-----------------------

CUNY Queens College   
Powdermaker Hall Room 146   
10:39AM

Students muddled around the hallways of Powdermaker Hall as classes were about to begin. Elliot and Olivia walked down towards room 146 where Sally had class. Sally stood amongst a circle of students laughing.

"Sally," Olivia said, "please come with us."

"What's wrong detectives?" Sally asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Please, come with us." Elliot said.

Sally left her circle of friends and walked out of the building with the detectives.

------------------------

Special Victims Unit Interrogation Room   
11:50AM

"Why am I here, detectives?" Sally asked.

"I think you know why you're here, Sally." Olivia said.

"No Detective Benson, I do not," Sally said, "And I demand to know. You have no right to keep me here."

"You're right Sally, we don't," Elliot said, "But I think you have a feeling about why you're here."

"Am I suspect in my father's murder?" Sally asked.

"Yes."

"That's ridiculous, I was in class when it happened." Sally said.

"No. You weren't," Olivia said, "The ME places time of death between eight and ten. You showed up to class at 8:45AM. Where were you during those forty-five minutes?"

"I was finding a parking spot in this neighborhood," Sally said, "It's a tough neighborhood for parking."

"So you're telling me that you spent forty-five minutes finding parking." Elliot said, "You could walk from your house."

"So call me lazy," Sally said, "But you can't call me a murderer. You have no evidence. It's all circumstancial."

"That's where you're wrong," Olivia said, "We have blood from the scene."

Behind the one-way glass, Cragen, Casey and Dr. Huang stood as Elliot and Olivia interviewed their suspect.

"She's right, it's all circumstancial. We have no physical evidence other than the blood, but we're riding on thin ice on getting a court order to compel her DNA." Casey said.

"She's lying," Huang said, "She loved her dad, but obviously shows no remorse or emotion to her actions."

Back in the interrogation room, Elliot stared at Sally dead in the eye.

"Your father put such a burden on you," Elliot said, "He used you, took advantage of you, took your money, told you all his secrets, made you LIE to your mother."

"No, he didn't put a burden on me." Sally said.

"Yes he did, he put everything on you," Elliot said, "You yelled at him. You needed the money for yourself. Things got out of hand. Your rage escalates to physical violence. You punched him so hard that the punches left impressions on his body after he died. He didn't give up so easily though. He fought back, you took out your pocket knife and stabbed him to death."

"No!" Sally said with tears filling her eyes, "He hit me first."

"So you hit him back," Olivia said, "Things get out of hand."

"No, that's not how it happened!" Sally screamed.

"Then tell us how it happened."

"I want my lawyer." Sally said.

-------------------------

Trevor Langan entered the interrogation room about an hour later.

"I hope you've respected my clients wishes to wait for me to arrive."

"Wouldn't have it any other way Langan," Casey said, "Olivia and I were just discussing the finer points of manicures and pedicures."

"All of which I've had the pleasure of listening to." Elliot said.

"What exactly are you charging my client with?" Langan asked.

"First degree murder for her father's homicide," Casey said.

Sally looked at Trevor looking for answers she already knew were just wishes. Sally was a smart and savvy young woman who had a bright future marred by her father's indiscretions.

"You can't prove it." Langan said.

"A simple blood test will prove whether or not she was with her father the morning of his murder," Elliot said, "She had motive, she had opportunity."

Sally swallowed hard, "Forget it Mr. Langan. I did it. I murdered my father." Sally took a shaky deep breath before tears began running down her face.

"Did your ever father touch you inappropriately?" Olivia asked.

"No, no, never. Nothing like that." Sally said, "He treated me like an adult. I didn't want to be an adult yet. I just wanted to be daddy's little girl. I was never anything more to that man other than another person he could use. His entire life was a lie, a sham."

"What are you talking about?" Casey asked.

"He led multiple lives. Him and his girlfriends went to expensive dinners, went on trips together," Sally said, "One of them even got pregnant. Twice. Had two abortions. Would've had an entire second family if it weren't for her decision to end it because she couldn't be a mother. He put his secret life on me. ON ME! For once it should be about me. But no. It never was."

Sally cried uncontrollably as she continued telling her story. "He was a selfish son of a bitch who ruined our family. My parents were going to get divorced, did my mother tell you that? They were going to get divorced, and again the children would suffer. My little sister's only eight. What does she know about affairs, sex and taboos?"

"He laid it all on me. With no afterthoughts of what I thought, or why he did the things he did. He did it because he wanted to. I couldn't do what I wanted with my life, but he could go ahead and ruin a number of lives. Now he can't hurt anyone."

"How did you do it Sally?" Olivia asked sensitively.

"I drove into Chinatown early. I just wanted to talk to him." Sally said, "So when I got there, I found him asleep still. I woke him up, and started talking to him about my tuition. I needed the money to pay for it. He said he didn't have it, that he'd spent it on an expensive trip he'd taken with one of his girlfriends. I just lost it. Over the years, he's had to borrow money from me to cover his ass, and when I needed him as a parent he didn't cut it. So I cut him."

"I took out my Leatherman knife. I usually always carry it with me in case of emergencies." Sally said.

"What kind of emergencies?" Elliot said, "Women don't generally carry pocket knives in their purses."

"My dad always told me to be prepared. He taught me how to fix things, broken nails, loose screws, how to defend myself if the need ever presented itself." Sally said, "I was a Girl Scout at one point too detectives."

"I took out the knife and threatened him," Sally said, "I hadn't intended to go there to kill him. I just went there to talk, I had no intentions of killing him."

"You took it to overkill though," Elliot said, "You beat him. And then stabbed him. Doesn't sound like you didn't intend to kill him."

"I was hitting him," Sally said, "The next thing I remember is him lying there with holes throughout his body with me holding the knife."

Behind the glass, Huang, Casey and Cragen stood, observing the confession of the young girl.

"She going for a psych defense?" Casey asked.

"The anger radiated by her father's infidelities fueled her hate for him and the fact that she was being burdened by his financial problems and then her father giving her mother chlmydia was the final straw," Huang explained, "I'd say she suffered her first mental break."

"Great," Casey said sarcastically, "Well we'll just have to find evidence this was pre-meditated."

"You probably won't find any pre-meditation. She seems lucid enough, but at the time of her father's murder she probably suffered the psychotic break and thought what she was doing was right," Huang said, "But there isn't any way to prove that she either planned this murder or that she suffered a mental break."

"So she basically set up a proper psych defense; onew here she couldn't get caught, and one where she won't be locked up," Cragen said, "She'll be observed in the psych ward at Bellevue and get away with her father's murder. Great."

"We'll leave it up to a jury to decide," Casey said, "I'm going to go file for arraignment."

Back in the interrogation room, Elliot and Olivia watched Sally. The girl had broke down in tears at her admission of guilt, and being a smart girl realized that she would be tried for the murder of her father. Elliot and Olivia got up and walked into the observation room.

"What do you think doc?" Elliot asked.

"Psychotic break," Huang said, "she's taken on more than she can handle. Casey just went to file for arraignment."

Elliot just shook his head. "This girl has the brains to be something great, but she threw it all away because of her father."

"It's the price she pays," Olivia said, "She let everything fall on her. Poor kid."

-------------------------------

Night came again all too soon for Elliot. He rolled in his bed once again, sleep refusing to engulf him. A man who had the loving family every man dreams of had turned and cheated.

"What posseses a man to cheat on someone?" Elliot thought, "Then again, what possessed Kathy to leave me?"

Elliot's questions unanswered, he rolled over and looked at the clock. It read 2:42AM. Elliot couldn't believe that his entire life had been turned upside down. He hadn't ever cheated on his wife, he'd always remained the faithful husband with a good job and supported his family financially. Financially. He'd seldom been there when it really counted. He missed the twins birthday one year. He'd forgotten to mail Maureen's application check. He missed dinners with his family. Every single time he was on a case. The job was something he'd become obsessed with, even more so now that his family, his every reason for living had left him.

"Tomorrow's another day." Elliot thought to himself as he tried to sleep again, knowing that sleep would not come for him.


End file.
